Myrtle Beach City Council will consider banning some items from the shelves of Ocean Boulevard shops as officials try to change the atmosphere in the central part of the beach.

A proposal would bar shops from selling drug paraphernalia, merchandise that references drugs, sexually-oriented materials and weapons. The zoning change would also stop shops from having “barkers,” or employees that call out to passerby, according to a copy of the ordinance that will be considered Tuesday.

The measure could affect a chunk of land from 16th Avenue North to 6th Avenue South, from the boardwalk to the businesses just behind Kings Highway, according to Planning Director Carol Coleman. But, she said, council may adjust those boundaries, which are not written into the draft of the ordinance.

It would have to be approved twice before going into effect, and allows shops in the affected area a 12-month period to operate without making changes. It would also require that shops maintain a working surveillance camera system.

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